Outdoor rotisserie system for roasting meat

ABSTRACT

An outdoor rotisserie system may include a set of legs, a rotisserie drive system supported by the set of legs, a drive-to-basket connecting assembly supported by the rotisserie drive system, and a meat basket assembly supported by the drive-to-basket connecting assembly. The meat basket assembly may be driven for rotation about a vertical axis. The meat basket assembly may include a basket top bar supporting basket sides formed of open mesh wire material. The system may include a heat deflector assembly spaced from the meat basket assembly, which may form a partial enclosure directing heat of an adjacent roasting fire toward the meat basket assembly.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is not related to other applications at the date offiling.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The disclosure relates to rotisseries for roasting meat in the outdoors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Outdoor rotisserie systems for roasting meat may include an elongatedspit (“spit”) for carrying a meat body, a set of spit mounts supportingthe spit for rotation, a rotisserie motor assembly for driving rotationof the spit on the spit mounts, and a heat source spaced from the meatbody and rotisserie motor assembly. The spit may extend in thehorizontal direction such as, for example, when carrying a pig over anopen fire. The spit, in some embodiments, may be an elongated unitaryspit shaft or bar. In other embodiments, the spit may be an assembly(“spit assembly”) including an elongated spit shaft and a set of spitforks carried on the spit shaft to penetrate opposite ends of the meatbody carried on the spit shaft, and thus to fix the meat body forrotation in common with the spit shaft and spit forks.

Safely roasting a meat body such as a pig outdoors, on a horizontal spitover an open fire, may require a large footprint of ground area. Thislarge footprint may limit the size and types of venues that areconvenient for an outdoor pig roasting event. Often, pig roasting eventsare limited to permanent or semi-permanent venues that are prepared andsized for carrying out the roast, with fire hazards eliminated or underreasonable control and ample space for spectators. To ensure safety, forexample, the minimum footprint of the venue may be too large for manyresidences. It may be necessary to locate and prepare an unexpectedlylarge, open and level area of ground for the fire and spit, an adjacentspectator area, and also then to clear out ignitable materials from alarge border area surrounding the fire and spit area.

When roasting a meat body such as a pig on a horizontal spit over anopen fire, fats dripping into the fire may pose a blaze hazard and alsomay present a hazard of popping, hot fat droplets flying out of the firetowards individuals who may be located nearby. Changing flames andheated air rising rapidly from the open fire cause difficulty forcontrolling cooking temperature, and maintaining constant cookingtemperature, at the exterior of the meat body. These thermal controlproblems require close or continuous monitoring by a cook and even somay cause poor roasting results such as burning, overcooking andundercooking of the meat. Changing position of the meat body relative tothe open fire, such as to control cooking temperature at the meat body,is difficult and may require at least two people equipped withprotective gloves or tools to raise or lower the opposite ends of thespit while loaded with the dangerously hot meat body. Repositioning thespit may be limited by the position of rungs on the set of spit mounts.If the spit is repositioned, the spit is carrying the weight of the meatbody above the open fire, such that the meat body easily can be droppedor inadvertently lowered into the flames and damaged by being burned.Repositioning the spit also may require individuals to closely approachthe open flames, reach toward the flames, or reach into rising heatedair, and in addition to causing physical discomfort also poses risks ofsuffering physical injuries. These difficulties, cumulatively, make pigroasting events into a physically demanding, hazardous pursuit that isnot readily suitable for an unassisted, individual cook to convenientlyperform, for example, in his, or her, backyard.

Setting up a horizontal spit assembly carrying a large meat body such asa pig to function properly may require inordinate effort and attentionto alignment, leveling the spit and spit mounts, and careful attentionand structure for mounting the rotisserie motor assembly in a fixed,elevated position relative to one end of the spit shaft, with the spitmounts, spit shaft and rotisserie motor assembly aligned along a commonhorizontal axis to provide a reliable driving relationship which willendure through a lengthy roasting session while exposed to the elevatedtemperatures. Maintaining the essential driving relationship andalignment of components may be difficult and is subject to multiplepossible points of failure. Where alignment is disrupted during aroasting session, such as by the rotisserie motor assembly shifting outof alignment or out of driving engagement with the end of the spitshaft, one possible result is that the meat body may be burned on thosesides nearest the fire and rising heated air, while the rotisseriecomponents are re-aligned. For example, it may be necessary to re-mountthe rotisserie motor assembly on a suitable support structure to secureit in the fixed, elevated location required for driving engagement withthe spit shaft carrying the meat body. In order to maintain level,horizontal alignment and driving engagement, it may be necessary tomount one or more of the spit shaft, spit mounts, and rotisserie motorassembly in fixed relationship on a common frame.

For reasons stated above and for other reasons which will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding thepresent specification, there is a need in the art for improved systems,apparatus and methods for securing and managing tools at job sites.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above-mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems areaddressed herein, as will be understood by those skilled in the art uponreading and studying the following specification. This summary isprovided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form thatare further described below in more detail in the detailed descriptionof embodiments. This summary is not intended to identify key oressential features of the claimed subject matter. Unless otherwisedefined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) usedherein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be furtherunderstood that terms, such as those defined in commonly useddictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and thepresent disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized oroverly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

In an aspect, a rotisserie system for roasting meat outdoors may includea vertical support assembly for supporting a bulk meat body without aspit shaft or spit forks. In embodiments, an outdoor rotisserie systemmay include a set of legs configured to rest on the ground, a rotisseriedrive system supported by the set of legs, a meat basket assemblysupported by the rotisserie drive system, a drive-to-basket connectingassembly, and a heat deflector assembly in an erect, standingconfiguration on the ground at a heat deflector position spaced from themeat basket assembly, wherein a roasting fire is located on the groundin a roasting fire position spaced apart from the meat basket assemblyand adjacent the heat deflector assembly. The heat deflector assemblymay define a U-shaped partial enclosure extending along all sides of theroasting fire, except the side nearest the meat roasting assembly, whichopens towards the meat basket assembly to direct heat from the roastingfire towards the meat basket assembly. The rotisserie drive system mayinclude a rotisserie drive system frame forming an enclosure supportedby the set of legs, and an electric rotisserie drive motor, a rotisseriedrive gear mechanism, a rotisserie drive shaft, and drive mountingbearing each supported by the rotisserie drive system frame. The meatbasket assembly is driven for rotation about a meat basket axis that mayextend in the vertical direction. The meat basket assembly may include abasket top bar supporting basket sides formed of open mesh wirematerial. The system may include a heat deflector assembly spaced fromthe meat basket assembly, which may form a partial enclosure directingheat of an adjacent roasting fire toward the meat basket assembly.

A system as disclosed may be assembled from components of a kit, whichmay be stored between uses and transported to a roasting event locationin a disassembled condition. A system as disclosed may include the heatdeflector assembly and roasting fire that may be selectively located onthe ground, independent of the set of legs, and spaced from the meatbasket assembly at distances which may be controlled independently bysetting and adjusting location of the set of legs, and location of themeat basket assembly loaded with a bulk meat body being roasted, andlocation and configuration of the heat deflector assembly in respectiveheat deflector position and roasting fire position. A system asdisclosed may provide simplified control of heat, roasting temperature,and other roasting conditions. A system as disclosed may provide acompact footprint on the ground, which may be smaller than footprint ofother roasting systems, such as open roasting systems that omit a heatdeflector. A system may include a meat basket assembly havingadvantageous weight distributed support of a bulk meat body beingroasted by basket sides formed of open mesh wire material supported, orhanging, from an extended basket top bar to distribute the weight load,and which avoids problems associated with spit or spit forkconfigurations providing less effective weight distribution. A system asdisclosed may include the meat basket assembly being moveable andadjustable relative to a single point of vertical support, from whichthe meat basket assembly may hang, and with relative ease and usersafety. A system as disclosed may be assembled in a verticalconfiguration, without need to precisely align multiple components of ahorizontal rotisserie spit and drive system, and without need tomaintain or re-establish alignment of such a horizontal spit and drivesystem. A system as disclosed may be provided and used without necessityto align multiple components supported relative to the ground surface,to rely upon aligned components remaining in a fixed position andattitude relative to the ground and other aligned components, and tocorrect misalignments by re-establishing support relative to the groundfor multiple aligned components which require support from the ground. Asystem as disclosed may have reduced points of failure by misalignmentof components, such as by moving out of alignment. A system may beadjusted and aligned to function with limited control of supportingrelationships between the ground and system components, which may belimited to controlling, adjusting and aligning the set of legs, and theleg positions, relative to the ground surface, the heat deflectorassembly and heat deflector position relative to the ground surface, andin some embodiments, the roasting fire and roasting fire positionrelative to the ground surface.

Apparatus, systems, and methods of varying scope are described herein.These aspects are indicative of various non-limiting ways in which thedisclosed subject matter may be utilized, all of which are intended tobe within the scope of the disclosed subject matter. In addition to theaspects and advantages described in this summary, further aspects,features, and advantages will become apparent by reference to theassociated drawings, detailed description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosed subject matter itself, as well as further objectives, andadvantages thereof, will best be illustrated by reference to thefollowing detailed description of embodiments of the device read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view of an outdoor rotisserie systemfor roasting meat, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a simplified front view of the outdoor rotisserie system showngenerally in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view taken generally along3-3 in FIG. 1 , showing detail of the rotisserie drive system frame,electric rotisserie drive motor, rotisserie drive gear mechanism,rotisserie drive shaft, drive-to-basket connecting assembly, and drivemounting bearing.

FIG. 4 is a simplified perspective view of a rotisserie drive shaft in arotisserie drive system as shown generally in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 5 is a side view of the rotisserie drive shaft, taken generallyalong 5-5 in FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6 is an upper end view of the rotisserie drive shaft, takengenerally along 6-6 in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 7 is a bottom end view of the rotisserie drive shaft, takengenerally along 7-7 in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 8 is a top view of the rotisserie drive mounting bearing on therotisserie drive system frame, taken generally along 8-8 in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 9 is a simplified partial schematic top view of the rotisserie heatshield assembly, taken generally along 9-9 in FIG. 2 .

FIG. 10 is a simplified front view of an exemplary panel of therotisserie heat shield assembly shown generally in FIG. 9 .

FIG. 11 is a simplified rear view of the exemplary panel of therotisserie heat shield assembly shown generally in FIG. 10 .

FIG. 12 is a simplified partial side view of the outdoor rotisseriesystem, taken generally along 12-12 in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 13 is an enlarged partial perspective view showing the meat basketassembly, generally depicted in FIG. 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown byway of illustration specific embodiments which may be practiced. Theseembodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilledin the art to practice the embodiments and disclosure. It is to beunderstood that other embodiments may be utilized, and that logical,mechanical, electrical, and other changes may be made without departingfrom the scope of the embodiments and disclosure. In view of theforegoing, the following detailed description is not to be taken aslimiting the scope of the embodiments or disclosure.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, thesingular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the pluralforms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It willbe further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising” or“includes” and/or “including” when used in this specification, specifythe presence of stated features, regions, integers, steps, operations,elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence oraddition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps,operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated amongthe figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Inaddition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide athorough understanding of the implementations described herein. However,it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that theimplementations described herein may be practiced without these specificdetails. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures andcomponents have not been described in detail so as not to obscure theimplementations described herein. Also, the description is not to beconsidered as limiting the scope of the implementations describedherein.

The detailed description set forth herein in connection with theappended drawings is intended as a description of exemplary embodimentsin which the presently disclosed apparatus and system can be practiced.The term “exemplary” used throughout this description means “serving asan example, instance, or illustration,” and should not necessarily beconstrued as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view of an outdoor rotisserie system100 for roasting meat, according to an embodiment. The meat beingroasted may be a bulk meat body such as, for example, a whole pig orother bulk meat body. As shown in FIG. 1 , in an embodiment the outdoorrotisserie system may include a set of legs 103 configured to rest upona ground surface 106 (shown in FIG. 2 ). In an embodiment shown in FIG.1 , the set of legs 103 may be arranged in a sawhorse configuration. Inthe sawhorse configuration, the set of legs 103 may include an elongatedsawhorse body member 109 extending in a horizontal direction. The set oflegs may include a set of sawhorse legs 112 joined to the sawhorse bodymember 109 at opposite ends of same. In a particular embodiment as shownin FIG. 1 , the set of legs 103 in a sawhorse configuration may definean A-frame configuration. The set of sawhorse legs 112 may be spacedapart to clear the meat basket assembly 115 when rotating about a meatbasket axis. In embodiments, as shown, the set of legs 103 may include aplurality of elongated tubular structural members formed of suitablematerial, such as steel or other suitable metal.

As shown in FIG. 1 , in an embodiment the outdoor rotisserie system 100may include a rotisserie drive system 120 supported by the set of legs103. As best shown in FIG. 3 , the rotisserie drive system 120 mayinclude a rotisserie drive system frame 123 supported by the set of legs103 (shown in FIG. 1 ). As shown in FIGS. 1-3 , the rotisserie drivesystem frame 123 may be configured to support some, or all, othercomponents of the rotisserie drive system 120. In an embodiment as shownin FIG. 3 , the rotisserie drive system frame 123 may be configured tosupport at least one of: the electric rotisserie drive motor 126,rotisserie drive gear mechanism 129 for rotating movement of the gearmechanism, the rotisserie drive shaft 132, the drive-to-basketconnecting assembly 135 and the drive mounting bearing 144. As shown inFIGS. 1-3 , the rotisserie drive system frame may define a housing 125configured to enclose at least one of: the electric rotisserie drivemotor 126, rotisserie drive gear mechanism 129 for rotating movement ofthe gear mechanism, the rotisserie drive shaft 132, the drive-to-basketconnecting assembly 135 and the drive mounting bearing 144.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the rotisserie drive system 120 may include anelectric rotisserie drive motor 126 having a rotating motor shaft. In anembodiment as shown, the electric rotisserie drive motor 126 may besupported by the rotisserie drive system frame 123, relative to the setof legs 103 and above the meat basket assembly 115. The electricrotisserie drive motor 126 may be connected to a suitable power supply,such as a 110 volt outlet (not shown), by a suitable insulated powercord 121.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the rotisserie drive system 120 may include arotisserie drive gear mechanism 129 engaged with the motor shaft to bedriven by the electric rotisserie drive motor 126. The rotisserie drivegear mechanism 129 may include a set of gears trained from a gearmechanism input to a gear mechanism output. The drive gear mechanisminput may be configured to be driven by the motor shaft of the electricrotisserie drive motor 126. The gear mechanism output may be driven forrotation by the trained set of gears. The drive gear mechanism 129 maybe configured to reduce rotation speed of the gear mechanism output to areduced output rate that is slower than rotation of the motor shaft ofthe electric rotisserie drive motor 126.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the rotisserie drive system 120 may include arotisserie drive shaft 132 supported for rotation about a drive shaftaxis 131. The drive shaft axis 131 may extend in a vertical direction.In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the drive shaft axis 131 may havefreedom to shift position, progress, or change through a range ofdirections that may vary from the vertical direction. The rotisseriedrive shaft 132 may have a first end 133 configured for engagement withthe gear mechanism output to be driven by the drive gear mechanism 129.As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 , in the particular embodiment shown thefirst end 133 may have a square cross section. The rotisserie driveshaft 132 may have a second end 137 spaced from the first end 133 inopposed relation to the first end 133. The second end 137 may beconfigured for driving engagement with the drive-to-basket connectingassembly 135. In the particular embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 , thesecond end 137 may include an aperture 139 having female threads 141 onan interior wall surface thereof. As best shown in FIG. 3 , therotisserie drive shaft 132 may include a continuous drive shaft shoulder143 spaced from the drive shaft axis and intersecting a drive shaftouter surface. The drive shaft shoulder 143 may define a force bearingsurface or thrust surface. The drive shaft shoulder 143 may beconfigured for mating engagement with the drive mounting bearing 144 tosupport the rotisserie drive shaft 132 for rotation relative to therotisserie drive system frame 123.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the rotisserie drive system 120 may include a drivemounting bearing 144 supported by the rotisserie drive system frame 123and affixed to same. The drive mounting bearing 144 may support therotisserie drive shaft 132, the drive-to-basket connecting assembly 135,or both, for rotation relative to the rotisserie drive system frame 123.Particularly, the drive mounting bearing 144 may support the rotisseriedrive shaft 132 for rotation about the drive shaft axis, thedrive-to-basket connecting assembly 135 for rotation about theconnecting assembly axis, or both. In one embodiment, a suitable drivemounting bearing 144 may be a two-bolt flange-mounted bearing with ballbearing insert (Dayton model 3FCU8, available from Grainger Supply, LakeForest, Ill.).

As shown in FIG. 1 , in an embodiment the outdoor rotisserie system 100may include a meat basket assembly 115 configured to receive a bulk meatbody 147 for rotation in common therewith about a basket axis. The meatbasket assembly 115 may include a set of basket sides 153 includingflexible open wire mesh material 156 defining basket major insidesupport surfaces. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 12 , the set of basket sides153 may be configured to engage corresponding major outside surfaces 159of the bulk meat body 147, in opposed supporting relationship therewith,to distribute a weight load of the bulk meat body 147 from the majoroutside surfaces 159 of the bulk meat body 147 to corresponding of themajor inside support surfaces of the open wire mesh material 156 of thebasket sides 153 in both the vertical direction and horizontaldirection.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the meat basket assembly 115 may include a baskettop bar 165 configured to support the set of basket sides 153 in hangingrelationship therewith. The basket top bar 165 may be elongated in thehorizontal direction to support the distributed weight load of the bulkmeat body 147 carried and transferred to the basket top bar 165 by theset of basket sides 153.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3 , in an embodiment the outdoor rotisserie system100 may include a drive-to-basket connecting assembly 135 supported forrotation about the connecting assembly axis relative to the rotisseriedrive system frame 123. The drive-to-basket connecting assembly 135 maybe supported by at least one of the drive mounting bearing 144 and thesecond end 137 of the rotisserie drive shaft 132. As shown in FIG. 3 ,the drive-to-basket connecting assembly 135 may include a first portion145 configured for engagement with the second end 137 of the rotisseriedrive shaft 132 to be driven for rotation about the connecting assemblyaxis. As shown in FIG. 13 , the drive-to-basket connecting assembly 135may include a second portion 147 joined to the first portion 145, thesecond portion configured for engagement with the basket top bar 165 todrive rotation of the meat basket assembly 115 about the basket axis.

As shown in FIG. 1 , in an embodiment the drive-to-basket connectingassembly 135 may be configured for engagement with the basket top bar165 to support the meat basket assembly 115 above the ground 106. Asshown in FIG. 3 , in an embodiment the drive-to-basket connectingassembly 135 may include an elongated eye-bolt 149 supported by therotisserie drive shaft 132 for rotation about the connecting assemblyaxis. Eye-bolt 149 may include at first portion 145 a set of malethreads configured for mating threaded engagement with the femalethreads 141 of the aperture 139 of the second end 137 of rotisseriedrive shaft 132. Eye-bolt 149 at second portion 147 may include aneyelet opposite the first portion 145 having male threads. As shown inFIG. 13 , in an embodiment the drive-to-basket connecting assembly 135may include a hook 173 supported by the eye-bolt 149 at the eyelet, forrotation about the connecting assembly axis. As best shown in FIG. 13 ,the drive-to-basket connecting assembly 135 also may include a firstflexible chain 176 supported on hook 173. The first flexible chain 176may include a series of interconnected chain links. In an embodiment asshown in FIG. 13 , the first flexible chain 176 may be joined from thehook 173 to the basket top bar 165 to support the meat basket assembly115.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the rotisserie drive system 100 may include asecond flexible chain 179. The second flexible chain 179 may include aseries of interconnected chain links. In an embodiment as shown in FIG.13 , the second flexible chain 179 may be joined from the set of legs103 to the rotisserie drive system frame 123 to support the rotisseriedrive system frame 123 relative to the set of legs 103.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the outdoor rotisserie system 100 may include aheat deflector assembly 180 configured to rest on the ground in a heatdeflector position. The heat deflector position may be spaced apart froma vertical projection of the meat basket assembly 115, by a deflectordistance. In embodiments, the heat deflector assembly 180 may beselectively moveable between a plurality of heat deflector positions.Each of the plurality of heat deflector positions may be spaced apartfrom the vertical projection of the meat basket assembly 115 at acorresponding plurality of deflector distances. As shown in FIG. 1 , theheat deflector assembly 180 may include a plurality of panels 186 eachformed of sheet metal. As shown in FIG. 11 , the heat deflector assembly180 may include a frame assembly 189 supporting the plurality of sheetmetal panels 186. The heat deflector assembly 180 may be configurablefrom a storage condition to a standing condition. The heat deflectorassembly 180 in the standing condition may define a partial enclosureconfiguration extending along all remote sides of an adjacent roastingfire. The partial enclosure configuration of the heat deflector assembly180 may be open along the one side or portion of the roasting firelocated nearest the vertical projection of the meat basket assembly 115,to deflect heat from the roasting fire towards the meat basket assembly115.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the outdoor rotisserie system 100 may include theroasting fire located at a roasting fire position. The roasting fireposition may be located on the ground 106 intermediate the heatdeflector assembly 180 and a vertical projection of the meat basketassembly 115. As shown in FIG. 1 , the rotisserie drive system 100 mayinclude a second flexible chain 179. The second flexible chain 179 mayinclude a series of interconnected chain links. The second flexiblechain 179 may be joined from the sawhorse body member 109 to therotisserie drive system frame 123.

FIG. 2 is a simplified front view of the outdoor rotisserie system showngenerally in FIG. 1 . The heat deflector assembly 180 is spaced apartfrom meat basket assembly 115 to direct heat from a roasting firetowards the meat basket assembly 115. FIG. 9 is a simplified partialschematic top view of the rotisserie heat deflector assembly 180, takengenerally along 9-9 in FIG. 2 . FIG. 10 is a simplified front view of anexemplary panel 186 of the rotisserie heat deflector assembly 180 showngenerally in FIG. 9 . FIG. 11 is a simplified rear view of the exemplarypanel 186 of the rotisserie heat deflector assembly 180 shown generallyin FIG. 10 .

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view taken generally along3-3 in FIG. 1 , showing detail of the rotisserie drive system 120including rotisserie drive system frame 123, electric rotisserie drivemotor 126, rotisserie drive gear mechanism 129, rotisserie drive shaft132, drive-to-basket connecting assembly 135, and drive mounting bearing144. FIG. 4 is a simplified perspective view of the rotisserie driveshaft 132 in the rotisserie drive system 120 shown generally in FIG. 3 .FIG. 5 is a side view of the rotisserie drive shaft, taken generallyalong 5-5 in FIG. 4 . FIG. 6 is an upper end view of the rotisseriedrive shaft, taken generally along 6-6 in FIG. 5 . FIG. 7 is a bottomend view of the rotisserie drive shaft, taken generally along 7-7 inFIG. 5 . FIG. 8 is a top view of the rotisserie drive mounting bearing144 supporting rotisserie drive shaft 132 on the rotisserie drive systemframe 123, taken generally along 8-8 in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 12 is a simplified partial side view of the outdoor rotisseriesystem 100, taken generally along 12-12 in FIG. 1 . Bulk meat body 147is captured between and supported by cooperation of the set of basketsides 153 and basket top bar 165. FIG. 13 is an enlarged partialperspective view showing the meat basket assembly 115 including baskettop bar 165 supporting the set of basket sides 153 having a bulk meatbody 147 captured therebetween.

Apparatus, methods and systems according to embodiments of thedisclosure are described. Although specific embodiments are illustratedand described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skillin the art that any arrangement which is calculated to achieve the samepurposes can be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. Thisapplication is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of theembodiments and disclosure. For example, although described interminology and terms common to the field of art, exemplary embodiments,systems, methods and apparatus described herein, one of ordinary skillin the art will appreciate that implementations can be made for otherfields of art, systems, apparatus or methods that provide the requiredfunctions. The invention should therefore not be limited by the abovedescribed embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments andmethods within the scope and spirit of the invention. In particular, oneof ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the names ofthe methods and apparatus are not intended to limit embodiments or thedisclosure. Furthermore, additional methods, steps, and apparatus can beadded to the components, functions can be rearranged among thecomponents, and new components to correspond to future enhancements andphysical devices used in embodiments can be introduced without departingfrom the scope of embodiments and the disclosure. One of skill in theart will readily recognize that embodiments are applicable to futuresystems, future apparatus, future methods, and different materials. Allmethods described herein can be performed in a suitable order unlessotherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “suchas”), is intended merely to better illustrate the disclosure and doesnot pose a limitation on the scope of the disclosure unless otherwiseclaimed. No language in the specification should be construed asindicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of thedisclosure as used herein. Terminology used in the present disclosure isintended to include all environments and alternate technologies thatprovide the same functionality described herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An outdoor rotisserie system, comprising: a setof legs configured to rest upon a ground surface; a rotisserie drivesystem supported by the set of legs, the rotisserie drive systemcomprising: an electric rotisserie drive motor having a motor shaft; arotisserie drive gear mechanism engaged with the motor shaft to bedriven thereby, the drive gear mechanism including a set of gears, theset of gears including a gear mechanism input configured to be driven bythe motor shaft, the set of gears trained from the gear mechanism inputto a gear mechanism output driven thereby, the set of gears configuredto reduce rotation speed of the gear mechanism output to an output rateslower than the motor shaft; a rotisserie drive shaft supported forrotation about a vertical drive shaft axis, the rotisserie drive shafthaving a first end configured for engagement with the gear mechanismoutput to be driven thereby, the rotisserie drive shaft having a secondend spaced from the first end in opposed relation thereto, the secondend configured for driving engagement with a drive-to-basket connectingassembly; a rotisserie drive system frame supported by the set of legs,the rotisserie drive system frame configured to support at least one ofthe electric rotisserie drive motor and rotisserie drive gear mechanismfor rotating movement of the gear mechanism output relative to therotisserie drive system frame; a drive mounting bearing supported by therotisserie drive system frame, the drive mounting bearing supporting atleast one of the following for rotation relative to the rotisserie drivesystem frame: the rotisserie drive shaft for rotation about the driveshaft axis, and the drive-to-basket connecting assembly for rotationabout the connecting assembly axis; a meat basket assembly configured toreceive a bulk meat body for rotation in common therewith about a basketaxis, the meat basket assembly comprising: a set of basket sidescomprising flexible open wire mesh material defining basket major insidesupport surfaces, the set of basket sides configured to engagecorresponding major outside surfaces of the bulk meat body in opposedsupporting relationship therewith to distribute a weight load of thebulk meat body from the major outside surfaces thereof to correspondingof the major inside support surfaces of the open wire mesh material inboth the vertical direction and horizontal direction; a basket top barconfigured to support the set of basket sides in hanging relationshiptherewith, the basket top bar elongated in the horizontal direction tosupport the distributed weight load from the set of basket sides; andthe drive-to-basket connecting assembly: supported for rotation aboutthe connecting assembly axis relative to the rotisserie drive systemframe, the drive-to-basket connecting assembly supported by at least oneof the drive mounting bearing and the second end of the rotisserie driveshaft; comprising a first portion configured for engagement with thesecond end of the rotisserie drive shaft to be driven for rotation aboutthe connecting assembly axis; comprising a second portion joined to thefirst portion, the second portion configured for engagement with thebasket top bar to drive rotation of the meat basket assembly about thebasket axis.
 2. The outdoor rotisserie system of claim 1, comprising:the drive-to-basket connecting assembly configured for engagement withthe basket top bar to support the meat basket assembly above the ground.3. The outdoor rotisserie system of claim 2, comprising: thedrive-to-basket connecting assembly comprising a hook supported by thedrive mounting bearing for rotation about the connecting assembly axis.4. The outdoor rotisserie system of claim 3, comprising: thedrive-to-basket connecting assembly comprising a first flexible chaincomprising interconnected chain links, the first flexible chain joinedfrom the hook to the basket top bar.
 5. The outdoor rotisserie system ofclaim 3, comprising: the rotisserie drive system comprising a secondflexible chain comprising interconnected chain links, the secondflexible chain joined from the set of legs to the rotisserie drivesystem frame.
 6. The outdoor rotisserie system of claim 1, comprising:the set of legs comprising a sawhorse configuration, the set of legscomprising an elongated sawhorse body member extending in a horizontaldirection, the set of legs comprising a set of sawhorse legs joined tothe sawhorse body member at opposite ends thereof.
 7. The outdoorrotisserie system of claim 6, comprising: the rotisserie drive systemcomprising a second flexible chain comprising interconnected chainlinks, the second flexible chain joined from the sawhorse body member tothe rotisserie drive system frame.
 8. The outdoor rotisserie system ofclaim 7, comprising: the rotisserie drive system frame comprising ahousing configured to enclose at least the drive mounting bearing. 9.The outdoor rotisserie system of claim 6, comprising: the set of legscomprising a sawhorse configuration defining an A-frame configuration.10. The outdoor rotisserie system of claim 6, comprising: the set ofsawhorse legs spaced apart to clear the meat basket assembly whenrotating.
 11. The outdoor rotisserie system of claim 1, comprising: aheat deflector assembly configured to rest on the ground in a heatdeflector position, the heat deflector position spaced apart from avertical projection of the meat basket assembly by a deflector distance.12. The outdoor rotisserie system of claim 11, comprising: the heatdeflector assembly selectively moveable between a plurality of heatdeflector positions, the plurality of heat deflector positions spacedapart from the vertical projection of the meat basket assembly at acorresponding plurality of deflector distances.
 13. The outdoorrotisserie system of claim 11, comprising: the heat deflector assemblycomprising a plurality of sheet metal panels.
 14. The outdoor rotisseriesystem of claim 13, comprising: the heat deflector assembly comprising aframe assembly supporting the plurality of sheet metal panels.
 15. Theoutdoor rotisserie system of claim 1, comprising: a roasting fireposition located intermediate the heat deflector position and thevertical projection of the meat basket assembly.
 16. The outdoorrotisserie system of claim 15, comprising: a roasting fire at theroasting fire position.
 17. The outdoor rotisserie system of claim 1,comprising: the rotisserie drive system frame comprising a housingconfigured to enclose at least the drive mounting bearing.
 18. Theoutdoor rotisserie system of claim 17, comprising: the housingconfigured to enclose at least the drive mounting bearing and rotisseriedrive gear mechanism.
 19. The outdoor rotisserie system of claim 1,comprising: the drive shaft having a continuous drive shaft shoulderspaced from the drive shaft axis, the drive shaft shoulder intersectinga drive shaft outer surface.
 20. The outdoor rotisserie system of claim19, comprising: the drive shaft shoulder configured for matingengagement with the drive mounting bearing to support the drive shaftfor rotation relative to the rotisserie drive system frame.